Grumbling in Samoa over Malietoa title

Some family members overlooked for the high paramount title of Malietoa in Samoa are still voicing opposition over the chosen candidate.

Samoa ava ceremony Photo: Jane Patterson

This month, the three branches of Sa Malietoa in Samoa seemingly reached an agreement on who should hold the paramount title, unanimously deciding to bestow it on Faamausili Moli, a son of the late head of state and title holder, Malietoa Tanumafili II.

There have been grumblings on social media but our correspondent, Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia, said members of the family had up to three months to contest the decision.

"It is a very powerful title, it has authority on land and it has authority on people and is very highly respected and so that is why people want to take the title."

The title had been vacant for a decade, since the death of Malietoa Tanumafili II in 2007, because of dissension over which branch of the family should hold it.